Pneumatic boat



Feb. 9, 1965 J. P. CAVAIGNAC ETAL 3,168,751

PNEUMATIC BOAT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 5, 1962 By/Q 1965 J. PCAVAIGNAC ETAL 3,

PNEUMATIC BOAT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 5, 1962 @by Q United StatesPatent Ofitice 3,168,751 PNEUMATIC BOAT Jean Pierre Cavaignac, LeVes'met, and Jean-Francois Lafleche and Henri Joseph Jean, Paris,France, assignors to Etablissements Hutchinson (Compagnie Nationale duCaoutchouc), Paris, France, a corporation of France Filed Apr. 5, 1962,Ser. No. 185,357 Claims priority, application France, June 1, 1961,863,680

11 Claims. (Cl. 9-2) The present invention relates to pneumatic boats ofutility as pleasure boats or auxiliary boats on larger boats.

The advantages of this type of boat-which is made floatable by provisionof inflated tubes, piping or the 1ike-are well known. Once their tubeshave been deflated these boats can be folded up so as to occupy theminimum amount of space and be easily transported.

However, their manufacture presents certain difliculties and theirnautical qualities need improving.

The major difliculty encountered in their manufacture resides in theshaping of the tubes to provide the bow and the stern of the boat.Further, despite efforts to provide a good profile the shape of the boatis imperfect hydrodynamically.

The object of the invention is to remedy these disadvantages. Theinvention provides a pneumatic boat so arranged that its hull iscomposite and comprises two rigid bow and stem panels to which areconnected in a water-tight manner the transverse ends of a flexibleassembly including inflatable tubes or the like, said assembly beingcapable of being laid flat and of being produced in the lattercondition.

Advantageously, this flexible assembly, which is of rubberized fabric orlike water-tight material, comprises two longitudinal tubes forming thelateral walls of the boat and framing a middle element which constitutesthe bottom of the boat.

Owing to this composite arrangement, all the flexible part, which is themajor part of the hull of the boat, can be very easily made up in thefiat state with vulcanized or non-vulcanized elements so that theassembly of these various elements does not present the ditficultiesnormally encountered. Further, the fact of forming the bow of the boatfrom a rigid panel instead of from shaped inflatable tubes as inprevious practice, imparts improved nautical qualities to the boat. i

Further features of the invention will-become apparent from the ensuingdescription, when read in connection with the accompanying drawingsgiven merely by way of an example and in which:

3 FIG. 1 is a perspective view, with parts cut away, of one embodimentof a" pneumatic boat according to the inven-' tion; t FIG. 2 is a planview thereof;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view thereof taken along line 3- -3 of FIG. 2, and

- FIGS. 46 are partial perspective views, on an enlarged scale, ofcertain parts of the boat shown in FIG. 1.

In the illustrated embodiment, the pneumatic boat comprises essentiallytwo rigid panels or boards 1a and 1b of for example wood which formrespectively the bow or prow and the stern ofthe boat, and a flexibleassembly or the boat in proper shape.

3,168,751 Patented Feb. 9, 1965 unit 2 composed of water-tight fabric,for example rubberized fabric. This assembly 2 which is capable of beinglaid flat and can consequently be manufactured in the flat state,comprises two longitudinal tubes or piping 3 which are inflatablethrough valves 3a and extend alongside or frame a middle element 4.These tubes constitute the lateral walls of the boat whereas the element4 forms the bottom thereof.

The connection of the tubes 3 to the bottom 4, which for reasons of easeof manufacture is constituted by sepa rate elements, is best seen inFIG. 3. The lateral walls of each tube are welded to one another attheir lower edges thereby providing a lip or flange 5 encompassing areinforcing filament or rod 6. The bottom 4 is welded to the lip 5, areinforcing strip 7 overlapping the lip 5 and the bottom 4 so as toprovide good seal.

The assembly 2 is furthermore connected to the bow and stern elements inthe following manner. The transverse ends of the envelope (FIG. 4) arefolded in such manner as to form a seam or piping 8 in which is locateda compressible filament or rod 9 of cord or rubber, for example. Eachpiping 8 is adapted to be disposed in a. groove 10 formed in thecorresponding panel 1, strips 11 screwed to this panel pressing againstthe rod 9 so as to render the joint fluidtight. A reinforcing strip 12of watertight fabric stuck to the entire periphery of the jointcompletes the seal of the assembly. Thus it can be seen that theflexible part of the boat and the rigid parts are very easily assembled.This assembly imparts a shape to the flexible part 2 which in the freestate is in the flat condition, once the tubes 3 are deflated.

It will be observed that the bow panel 1a has a width which is less thanthe stern panel 1b, the transverse ends of the bottom 4 beingdimensioned in a corresponding manner so as to impart to the boat ashape which improves its nautical qualities.

Disposed in a detachable manner on the bottom 4 of the boat is a floor13 divided in the longitudinal direction into several panels so as tofacilitate its transport and its positioning. In the presently-describedembodiment, the floor comprises a forward panel or element 14 a middleelement 15 and a rear panel or element 15. The middle panel or element15 has at its two longitudinal ends blocks 17 which, in bearing againstthe adjacent edges of the elements 14 and 16 hold the elements of thefloor in position.

Props 18 bearing at one end against the panel 1 owing to the provisionof a block 19 and at the other end against the end panels 14 and 16 ofthe floor through the medium of a block 20, apply the panels 14 and 16against the bottom 4 and maintain the panels 1a and 112 at theappropriate inclination. The central panel 15 of the floor is moreoverurged against thefloor 4 through the medium of a-seat 21 provided forthe passengers of the boat. This seat 21 bears at both ends against thetube 3 (FIG. 6). To this end, there is stuck to each tube 3 areinforcing sheet 22to which is fixed a strip 23 inserted between thesheet 22 and a second sheet 24 stuck to the tubes 3 and to the sheet 22.Screwed to the strip 23 at 25 is a bracket 26 on the horizontal branchof which rests the end of the seat 21. This end is furthermore providedwith a pin 28 which is engaged in an aperture 29 formed in the verticalbranch of the bracket 26 so as to firmly hold the seat 21 in position.It will be observed that the seat 21, in preventing the tubes 3 frombending inwardly, helps to keep Further, it exerts pressure on the panel15 of the floor 13 through the medium of a leg 30 which latter isnotched at its base and rests on a beading 31 rigid with the panel 15.

The fact that the floor is held in position by the props 18 and the leg30 of the seat 21, permits, in accordance with an important feature ofthe invention, imparting to the bottom 4 a V-shaped section or profileand thus improving the nautical qualities of the boat. To this end,there is provided on the bottom 4 an inflatable tube or beading 32. Toform this tube, a strip 33 is secured along the longitudinal axis of thebottom 4 by sticking its longitudinal edges to the inner face of thelatter and thereby forming 'a fluidtight pocket. The outer face of thebottom 4 is reinforced in the region of this pocket by bands 34. Thistube 32 is inflatable through a valve 35 which extends upwardly of thefloor 13 through an opening 36 in the element 14. When the tube 32 isinflated it projects outwardly in bearing against the floor 13 so thatit imparts to the lateral parts of the bottom 4 a downward inclinationfrom the periphery toward the centre of the boat. Thus the bottom 4 hasa V-shaped cross-section or profile, which is more hydrodynamic. V

The upper edges of the tubes 3 constituting the upper sides of thelateral walls of the boat, are also arranged in a special manneraccording to the invention. The walls of each tube 3 are pinchedtogether at 37 (FIG. 4) so as to form a beading or piping 38 in which islocated a filament or rod 39. In this way ledges or coamings are formedalong the lateral walls of the boat which prevent small waves fromentering the latter. Further, the piping 38 is utilized for fixing therowlock supports 40 (FIG. adapted to receive the oars for propelling orsteering the boat. Each rowlock support is composed of two wooden blocks41 which rest at their bases on the upper part corresponding tube 3 withinterposition of reinforcing sheets 42. Each block 41 has a groove 43 sothat when thetwo blocks are assembled to two grooves clampround thepiping 38. This assembly is accomplished by means of screws 44 extendingthrough the two blocks, the latter being clamped together by wing nuts45. One of the blocks 41 is provided with an aperture 46 with areinforcing bushing 47 to receive the rowlock.

The boat is completed by accessories such as cord handles 48, andmooring cords 49 fixed to the panels 1a and 1b so as to facilitate thetransportation and mooring of the boat. Similarly, the central panel 15of the floor is provided with cord handles 50 to facilitate extractionof the floor.

The boat just described has numerous advantages over prior pneumaticboats notwithstanding. the fact that it is capable of being folded upjust as easily for transportation.

Firstly, the manufacture of this boat is much simplified since'theshaping of the tubes 3 previously necessary for forming the bow and thestern is eliminated. Conse quently, the entire flexible assembly 2 canbe manufactured in the fiat condition, which is an importantsimplification, especially when vulcanizing the rubberized fabricconstituting this assembly. Further, the presence of a rigid bow 1aimproves the careening of the boat while widening the latter which. isconsequently more convenient for the passengers. The V-shaped profilegiven to the bottom 4 of the boat by the longitudinal tube 32 providedat its centre considerably improves the hydrodynamic qualities oftheboat and in actingas a centre fin or board, easily maintains the boaton its path; this is not easily obtained in the known pneumatic boatswhichhave a tendency to turn round at each stroke of the oar.

It is to be understood that the invention is in no way.

transversely of the boat which is less than the overall width of aflexible unit; said flexible unit composed of a watertight material andhaving transversely extending prow and stern end portions, two lateralportions constituting the lateral longitudinally extending walls of theboat, inflatable cavities in the lateral portions and a mid dle portioninterconnecting the lateral portions in a watertight manner andconstituting the bottom of the boat, the lateral portions extendingupwardly from the middle portion and having outer faces which areconvergent in plantoward the prow board and stern board; and meanssecuring said prow and stern boards respectively to the prow and sternendlportions of the flexible unit, the prow and stern end portions ofthe flexible unit having a general shape in a transverse plane of theboat which corresponds to the shape of three of the sides of thefour-sided prow board and stern board respectively.

2. A pneumatic boat comprising in combination: a rigid prow board and arigid stern board both extending transversely of the boat; said flexibleunit composed of a waterthe lateral longitudinally extending walls oftheboat, the

restricted to the illustrated and described embodiments,

which have been chosen merely by way of examples, and various changes ofdetail can be made therein without fallingoutside the scope of theappended, claims.

lateral walls being in spaced relation to each other throughout thelength of the boat, and a middle portion interconnecting the tubes in awatertight manner and constituting the bottom of the boat, the tubesextending upwardly from the middle portion, the flexible unit being soarranged that before assembly with said board and when the tubes aredeflated it is capable of being laid in a completely flatposition inwhich it is wholly contained in a fiat plane, the unit comprising insaid flat position two longitudinallyv extending edges to which thetubes are adjacent and two transversely extending edges; and meanssecuring said' transversely extending edges respectively to the prowboard. and the stern board in a watertight manner, the boat having across-sectional shape substantially in the form of a' U throughout thelength of the boat.

3. A pneumatic boat as claimed in claim 2, wherein the prow board andthe prow end of the (flexible unit are narrower than the stern board andstern end of the flexible unit, and the prow board is inclined forwardlyand up wardly of the bottom of the boat.

4. A pneumatic boat as claimed in claim 2, comprising beading ofenlarged cross-section disposed along said lon: gitudinally extendingedges and constituting a coaming tor the lateral wall of the boat. 7 j

5. A pneumatic boat comprising in combination: a rigid prow panel and arigid stern panel both extending transversely of the boat; a flexibleunit composed of a watertight material and having two inflatable tubesconstituting the lateral longitudinally extending walls of the boat, anda middle portion interconnecting the tubes in a watertight manner andconstituting the bottom of the boat, the tubes extending upwardly fromthe middle portion, the flexible unit being so arranged that beforeassembly with said panels and when the tubes are deflated it is capableof being laid in a flat position in which itcomprises two longitudinallyextending edges to whichthe tubes are ad: acent and two transverselyextending edges; means securing said transversely extending edgesrespectively tothe p ow panel and the stern panel in a watertightmanner; a' beading of enlargedcros's-section disposed along thelongitudinally extending edges and constituting a coaming for thelateral walls, rowlock supports mounted on'the inflated tubes, eachrowlock support comprising two blocks} which-are supported on thecorresponding'inflated tube and are disposed one oneach side of thecorresponding heading, and means clamping the blocks to the beading.

6. A pneumatic boat comprising in combination: a rigid prow panel and arigid stern panel both extending transversely of the boat; a flexibleunit composed of a watertight material and having two inflatable tubesconstituting the lateral longitudinally extending walls of the boat, anda middle portion interconnecting the tubes in a watertight manner andconstituting the bottom of the boat, the tubes extending upwardly fromthe middle portion, the flexible unit being so arranged that beforeassembly with said panels and when the tubes are deflated it is capableof being laid in a flat position in which it comprises twolongitudinally extending edges to which the tubes are adjacent and twotransversely extending edges; means securing said transversely extendingedges respectively to the prow panel and stem panel in a watertightmanner, said securing means comprising a rib of enlarged crosssectionextending along each transversely extending edge, clamping elementssecured to the prow and stern panels and forming with each panel arecess in which the rib of the corresponding transversely extending edgeis clamped.

7. A pneumatic boat comprising in combination: a rigid prow panel and arigid stern panel both extending transversely of the boat and forming aflat prow and a flat stern for the boat; a flexible unit composed of awatertight material and having two inflatable tubes constituting thelateral longitudinally extending walls of the boat, and a middle portioninterconnecting the tubes in a watertight manner and constituting asubstantially flat boat bottom down to which the flat prow and sternextend, the tubes extending upwardly from the middle portion, theflexible unit being so arranged that before assembly with said panelsand when the tubes are deflated it is capable of being laid in acompletely flat position in which it is wholly contained in a flatplane, the unit comprising in said flat position two longitudinallyextending edges to which the tubes are adjacent and two transverselyextending edges the transversely extending edges including end seamswhich are contained in the plane of the unit in said flat position andclose the ends of the tubes so that when the tubes are inflated theytaper to said seams; means securing said transversely extending edgesrespectively to marginal portions of the prow panel and marginalportions of the stern panel in a watertight manner; and a detachablefloor of rigid material resting on and extending over the entire area ofsaid middle portion for imparting rigidity to the bottom of the boat andacting as a spacer element between the two tubes and between the twopanels.

'8. A pneumatic boat comprising in combination: a rigid prow panel and arigid stern panel both extending transversely of the boat; a flexibleunit composed of a watertight material and having two inflatable tubesconstituting the lateral longitudinally extending walls of the boat, anda middle portion interconnecting the tubes in a watertight manner andconstituting the bottom of the boat, the tubes exending upwardly fromthe middle portion, the flexible unit being so arranged that beforeassembly with said panels and when the tubes are deflated it is capableof being laid in a flat position in which it comprises twolongitudinally extending edges to which the tubes are adjacent, and twotransversely extending edges; means securing said transversely extendingedges respectively to the prow panel and the stern panel in a watertightmanner; a detachable floor of rigid material resting on and coextensivewith said middle portion for imparting rigidity to the bottom of theboat and acting as a spacer element between the two tubes; and alongitudinally extending inflatable tube combined with said middleportion in a position midway between said two tubes and constituting onthe bottom side of said middle portion a centre fin for the boat and onthe top side of said midde portion a rib which bears against said floorand spaces said midde portion away therefrom so as to impart adownwardly convergent crosssectional shape to the bottom of the boat.

6 9. A pneumatic boat comprising in combination: a rigid prow panel anda rigid stern panel both extending transversely of the boat; a flexibleunit composed of a watertight material and having two inflatable tubesconstituting the lateral longitudinally extending walls of the boat,

and a middle portion interconnecting the tubes in a watertight mannerand constituting the bottom of the boat, the tubes extending upwardlyfrom the middle portion, the flexible unit being so arranged that beforeassembly with said panels and when the tubes are deflated it is capableof being laid in a flat position in which it comprises twolongitudinally extending edges to which the tubes are adjacent and twotransversely extending edges; means securing said transversely extendingedges respectively to the prow panel and the stern panel in a watertightmanner, said securing means comprising a rib of enlarged cross-sectionextending along each transversely extending edge, clamping elementssecured to the prow and stern panels and forming with each panel arecess in which the rib of the corresponding transversely extending edgeis clamped and a prop wedged between each panel and the adjacent portionof said floor so as to maintain the floor on said middle portion andprevent the panels from moving inwardly.

10. A pneumatic boat comprising in combination: a rigid prow panel and arigid stern panel both extending transversely of the boat; a flexibleunit composed of a watertight material and having two inflatable tubesconstituting the lateral longitudinally extending walls of the boat, anda middle portion interconnecting the tubes in a watertight manner andconstituting the bottom of the boat, the tubes extending upwardly fromthe middle portion, the flexible unit being so arranged that beforeassembly with said panels and when the tubes are deflated it is capableof being laid in a completely flat position in which it is contained ina flat plane, the unit comprising in said flat position twolongitudinally extending edges to which the tubes are adjacent and twotransversely extending edges; means securing said transversely extendingedges respectively to the prow panel and the stern panel in a watertightmanner; a detachable floor of rigid material resting on and coextensivewith said midde portion for imparting rigidity to the bottom of the boatand acting as a spacer element between the two tubes, said floor beingdivided longitudinally of the boat into a plurality of single-piecefloor members extending from one to the other of the tubes; and atransversely rigid member constituting a seat having ends respectivelymounted on the two tubes and acting a a spacer member between the upperpart of the tubes.

'11. A pneumatic boat comprising in combination: a rigid prow panel anda rigid stern panel both extending transversely of the boat, each panelhaving a substantially quadrilateral shape in a plane transverse to theboat and an extent transversely of the boat which is less than theoverall width of the boat and a bottom edge and two upwardly extendinglateral edges, a flexible unit composed of a watertight material andhaving two lateral portions constituting the laterallongitudinally'extending walls of the boat and a middle portioninterconnecting the lateral portions in a watertight manner andconstituting the bottom of the boat, the lateral portions each having anupwardly extending stern seam and an upwardly extending prow seamrespectively secured in a watertight manner to the corresponding lateraledges of the stern and prow panels, the middle portion havingtransversely extending stern and prow edges respectively secured in awatertight manner to said bottom edges of the stern and prow panels,whereby a watertight assembly of said panels and flexible unit isobtained, each lateral portion of the flexible unit enclosing aninflatable and deflatable cavity extending throughout said lateral wallof the boat and tapering in plan to said stern and prow seams in theinflated condition of the cavity, and a floor of rigid material restingon and coextensive with said middle portion for imparting 33168575 7 8rigidity to the bottom of the boat and acting as a. space x FOREIGNPATENTS v V element between said latral walls of the boat. 7 261,533 78/49 switzerl'ani 743,770 1/56 GreatBritai RternceQCited i n the fi leof thijs patent 766,074 16/54 Germany UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,249,407111/60 France. 1,884,705 10/32 Huffman f i 9+4 Y 7 2,685,695 8/54 MurfayFERGUS S MIDDLETON, Przmary Exammer.

3,071,785 1/63 Holt 9-2 MILTON BUCHLER, Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No 3 ,168,751 February 9, 1965 Jean Pierre Cavaig znac et a1.

It is hereby certified that err or appears in the above numbered patentrequiring correction and that th e said Letters Patent should read ascorrected belo Column 4, line 27, for "said" read a column 5, lines 72and 73 and column 6, line 42, for "midde", each occurrence, read middleSigned and sealed this 16th day of November 1965.

(SEAL) Anest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER EDWARD J. BRENNER Attesting Officer Commissioner ofPatents

1. A PNEUMATIC BOAT COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: A RIGID PROW BOARD AND ARIGID STERN BOARD, THE BOARDS BEING UPWARDLY DIVERGENT AND EXTENDINGTRANSVERSELY OF THE BOAT AND BOTH HAVING A FOUR-SIDED GENERAL SHAPE IN APLANE TRANSVERSE TO THE BOAT AND BOTH HAVING AN EXTENT TRANSVERSELY OFTHE BOAT WHICH IS LESS THAN THE OVERALL WIDTH OF A FLEXIBLE UNIT; SAIDFLEXIBLE UNIT COMPOSED OF A WATERTIGHT MATERIAL AND HAVING TRANSVERSELYEXTENDING PROW AND STERN END PORTIONS, TWO LATERAL PORTIONS CONSTITUTINGTHE LATERAL LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING WALLS OF THE BOAT, INFLATABLECAVITIES IN THE LATERAL PORTIONS AND A MIDDLE PORTION INTERCONNECTINGTHE LATERAL PORTIONS IN A WATERTIGHT MANNER AND CONSTITUTING THE BOTTOMOF THE BOAT, THE LATERAL PORTIONS EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM THE MIDDLEPORTION AND HAVING OUTER FACES WHICH ARE CONVERGENT IN PLAN TOWARD THEPROW BOARD AND STERN BOARD; AND MEANS SECURING SAID PROW AND STERNBOARDS RESPECTIVELY TO THE PROW AND STERN END PORTIONS OF THE FLEXIBLEUNIT, THE PROW AND STERN END PORTIONS OF THE FLEXIBLE UNIT HAVING AGENERAL SHAPE IN A TRANSVERSE PLANE OF THE BOAT WHICH CORRESPONDS TO THESHAPE OF THREE OF THE SIDES OF THE FOUR-SIDED PROW BOARD AND STERN BOARDRESPECTIVELY.